


Cho/Padma Drabbles and Short Stories

by shyath



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Community: femmefest, Community: hp_diversity, Community: slashthedrabble, F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-20
Updated: 2019-12-20
Packaged: 2021-02-27 02:33:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 6,323
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21870088
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shyath/pseuds/shyath
Summary: Crossposted from Fanfiction.net. Various drabbles and short stories featuring Cho/Padma.
Relationships: Cho Chang/Padma Patil
Kudos: 1





	1. Kisses and Spices

Cho thought that she would taste spices on Padma's lips, that the kisses would sting and burn and leave a smoking hole. (She found the idea of a life-threatening kiss infinitely romantic.) She was a little disappointed that Padma tasted nothing like spices. Just a little though, because when Padma's face came close to hers, any coherent (and incoherent) thoughts she had ceased to exist altogether. (That was the most romantic notion she could come up with given her brain cells' tendency to short-circuit following such proximity.) Headier and stronger than spices, Padma's kisses always left her on unsteady legs.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Written for Challenge #210 ~ Face at slashthedrabble.


	2. Somewhere Far From the Cold

Padma rubs her hands together vigorously, willing the feeling to return to the numb digits. Her breaths puff like little clouds – almost solid to make an impact, Padma imagines, as they bounce against Cho's slightly trembling lips. "Are you cold?" Padma whispers, bringing hands that are colder than they are warm to Cho's cheeks.

Cho closes her eyes and leans into the touch. "No," she replies, even as her lips tremble a little more and her fingers dig with a little more force into Padma's skin underneath her sweater. "I'm warm," Cho tells her, turning her face so that her lips brush first against the flat of Padma's thumb, the dip of her palm – her breaths hot, so hot against cold skin.

"Yeah," Padma says thickly, leaning in. Cho's lips are surprisingly warm when Padma meets them. "I'm warm too," she remarks unnecessarily. "Warm enough to feel like I'm burning."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Written for Character Spotlight Challenge ~ Padma Patil at hp_diversity.


	3. In The Dead of Night With No One Watching

Cho likes to sneak into Padma's bed in the dead of night because no one else is ever awake at such late hours to listen to Cho's latest rendezvous. Cho does not mind that Padma never looks interested, that Padma is always immersed in a book of some sort whenever she comes by.

Perhaps she enjoys the sound of her own smitten voice resounding within the boundaries of Padma's four-poster bed. Perhaps she needs to give form to the rushing of blood in her veins, the splashing of colours behind her closed eyelids as she pours forth tears for each shattered piece of her heart or for every mended one (as she falls in and out of love).

Cho is abstract and dramatic in her rendition of what and how love is and should be. She is her own actress and the world is her stage. The boys she meets up with are her passing side characters. What role Padma plays she will never know (but at least she is not another passing character).

When she has exhausted her emotions and her tears for the night, Cho always whispers 'Good night', kisses Padma sloppily on the cheek (the scent of some nameless boy's aftershave reeking off of her) and falls promptly asleep in Padma's bed.

The first time (the kiss on her cheek) has surprised Padma. The second time has been somewhat more expected. By the time it will be the third time, Padma has found herself waiting, almost ... hoping for the kiss to come (a little to the right, where Cho's lips will land on hers).

Padma knows it is but an empty dream (the scenario is set, it will not change).

Cho still comes every single night to speak of another boy that has caught her fancy. After which she whispers 'Good night', kisses Padma on the cheek (as Padma tries not to notice that her lip-gloss is a little smeared, that the taste left on her cheek is a mixture of Cho and some boy) and falls asleep. Padma will then close her book (still on page 215 after two weeks) and cover Cho up, bend down and discreetly kiss Cho on the cheek (lingering a little, just for a little) before whispering 'Good night' to no one in particular.

Then she will sleep (with a hand carefully positioned over Cho's) and hope Cho comes again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Written for Challenge #208 ~ Past Prompts Revisited: #005 ~ The Dead of Night at slashthedrabble.


	4. All I See Behind Closed Eyelids

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A sequel to 'In The Dead of Night (With No One Watching)'.

There is a shroud over my eyes and all the colours of the sky imprinted on the back of my closed eyelids, the sound of church bells ringing in the depth of my ears and the narrative of every fairy tale I have ever heard going on continuous playback in the marrow of my bones. At least that is how I like to justify myself (I am a born romantic). Marietta accuses me of being needlessly coquettish (with the boys, as far as she is concerned, she needs not know more). I respond that she is not as learned in the ways of love (even as I stifle a giggle at that). She fumes and stalks away in return, leaving me to lie down alone in the sun-kissed patch of grass just beside the lake.

It is still a little cold to be outside, but the sun peeks just enough through the clouds that even the notoriously unpredictable Scottish winds will not deter me from staying out for at least another five minutes. So I lie here, the wind rustling grass leaves against the exposed skin of the backs of my thighs, my outstretched arms and the left cheek I press against the ground as I look back at the castle with one eye. My fingers seem big enough from this perspective to grasp the castle. I let out a little chuckle.

A shadow covers my sun the moment I turn back to look at it. "Cho?" the shadow speaks. Somehow, the idea of speaking shadows is very appealing.

I stretch my arms upward and wiggle my fingers at the shadow. "Padma!" I squeal playfully (how strange the way my heart knots a little at the sight of her).

She takes one of my hands tentatively and sits down just behind me. I can feel the heat of her skin as her knees brush just the very top of my head. "Aren't you cold?" Padma asks, patting my hand absently.

"No," I respond with a small smile, closing my eyes and squeezing her hand. _Not anymore_. I see the vivid shade of chocolate brown behind my closed eyelids (Padma's colour) as the rustling of Padma's ever-present book lulls me to sleep.

* * *

The boy I spend tonight with is a little too eager.

"I'm sorry," I tell him, pushing him away from me, "this is just not going to work." That is usually enough to get them off of me. I may like to fool around with boys, but, contrary to the rumours, I draw the line at snogging. Even Cedric knew not to push.

"Come on, baby, you know you want this," he pants, reaching for me once more.

The bulge in his pants is noticeable and I almost gag as his hands land on me once more. "No!" I say sternly, pushing him back with more force. "I mean it."

He looks confused and then he brightens up slowly. "Oh, I see, you want to play the tease." He starts toward me once more.

For the first time in all my dealing with boys, I feel afraid. "No, I mean it. Stay away," I say once more, moving my hand toward my wand discreetly.

"You're pretty good at this," he replies, leering as he advances a little more, "you live up to your reputation."

"Impedimenta!" I cast. I watch him fall spectacularly before gathering what remains of my wits about me and leaving the Astronomy Tower promptly. My tears have made their way down my cheeks without my knowing.

* * *

"Padma," I whisper just outside of her four-poster bed, hoping against hope that she can hear me. Marietta's bed is just a few more feet away and she is my best friend, but the thought never even crosses my mind that it is socially more appropriate for me to bother Marietta. I am close with Padma, but am I not closer with Marietta? Two months ago I would have bothered Marietta, but two months ago I have not made it a tradition to end my nightly escapades in Padma's bed, two months ago I still sleep fine without Padma next to me.

There is no response and so, going against my common sense (which is perhaps gone already, considering where my foolishness has led me tonight), I push apart the curtains, kick my shoes off and climb into Padma's bed as I have done countless nights before tonight. This is just what girls of my age will do, is it not? They climb into a friend's bed at night when she is fast asleep because they have nearly been raped by their so-called boyfriend of the moment. Then upon seeing aforementioned friend's sleeping face for the very first time, their heart just skips a little, their tears just stop and the urge to kiss said friend threatens to take over once more.

"Padma," I whisper quietly, trying my hardest not to wake her up. I have never seen Padma asleep before because I have always fallen asleep before her and I have always woken up after her. "You look so beautiful like this," I continue before I can censor my words. When my brain finally catches up with my mouth, I can only say that I have never said anything more honest in my life. Telling a friend she is beautiful is normal, is it not? Marietta always tells me so. Though she has never done so while she is stroking my cheek and I am asleep. At least, I think not.

"Good night," I murmur as I lean down, pressing my lips against Padma's cheek (a strange urge to move my lips a little to left, where they will land on Padma's) as I have done so many times before. Then I wriggle my way underneath the covers and wrap my arm about Padma's waist, inhaling the scent of her hair as I fall asleep to the rhythm of her breathing.

* * *

If Padma were surprised to find me in her bed in the morning, she neither gives voice to it nor does she ask me about last night (and I am not ready to tell). She wakes me up once she is dressed and ready like she always does. She waits for me to be dressed and ready like she always does. It feels normal and yet it does not. I just cannot put my finger on what exactly has become different.

"Ready to go?" she asks, smiling a little as she picks up her books.

"Yes," I answer, taking her hand as it swings by mine. The action surprises both she and I. "Is this okay?" I ask hesitantly. I feel the need to be in contact with her for some unknown reason.

"Yes," she answers, squeezing my hand and leading me out of the room.

* * *

"What is wrong with you?" Marietta demands.

"What?" I respond, blinking in confusion. Sometimes I pretend to be obtuse just to annoy Marietta, but I can honestly say this is not one of those times.

"What were you thinking coming into the Great Hall with Padma like that?" Marietta explains impatiently.

"You are getting rather shrill, Marietta," I point out reasonably. We are attracting unwanted attention from the other students lounging around the Common Room. The girl in question, Padma, is studying in the library.

"Cho ..."

"No reason. Can't friends hold hands for no reason whatsoever?"

Marietta looks at me as if I had sprouted an additional head. I can probably make use of another brain. My current one seems to be permanently useless. "Cho, I know you're not the brightest, but I also happen to know that you're not an idiot. Holding hands at this age for no apparent reason is not normal, Cho. We're not kids anymore. We're sixteen."

I frown slightly. "Then I suppose ... I like her?"

Now Marietta looks at me as if I had also sprouted a tail in addition to that extra head. "You like her? As in you like like her?"

"Now who sounds like a kid?" I try to joke.

"Cho!" she growls exasperatedly.

"Well, maybe I do like her like that," I say soberly.

"Maybe?"

"Well, she doesn't make my heart beat," I begin. "I don't blush when I see her. I don't dream about her. She doesn't make my world explode in colours." Just turn my sky into the impossible shade of chocolate brown. "I just feel really comfortable around her." And I cannot seem to fall asleep without her next to me. "I like being around her."

"Well, you like being around your friends, but you don't go off holding hands randomly, do you?" Marietta says reasonably. "My dear Cho, you have finally grown up." She uses the end of her robes to wipe a nonexistent tear from the corner of her eye.

"What do you mean?" I am so confused.

"It's so ironic how you're always going on about how you know what love is all about, but here it is staring at you in the eye and you're completely oblivious."

"I don't quite follow."

"Falling in love, young one, is not always about beating hearts or blushing or dreaming. There is no formula to it. When you fall in love, you just do. No one person falls in love in the same manner. Just because the way yours goes is not the way it goes in your fairy tales does not mean it's not love."

"Are you saying I'm in love with Padma?" I ask, completely bewildered.

"I take back what I said. You're definitely an idiot."

I just sit and stare at Marietta for a few moments.

"Well, what are you waiting for? Go and find her," she tells me, snapping her fingers in front of my dazed eyes.

Scrambling to my feet, I do as she says and I chuckle to hear Marietta telling the younger and older students alike to mind their own business as I leave the Common Room in search of Padma.

* * *

I can objectively say that I live by my heart. It is a little something I am proud of, a little something my father bemoans. The revelation of my feelings for Padma spurs me to take action (or at least Marietta spurs me to take action). What is the point of waiting around anyway?

Padma is sitting at her customary table in the very back of the library, a pile of books next to her and her quill scratching away. My footsteps sound eerily loud as I step forth, my heart pounds painfully and I feel like my chest is going to split apart. I close my eyes and take a deep breath. I see red behind my closed eyelids. Then I open my eyes once more and take the last step. Clearing my throat slightly, I call out softly, aware that it is the library, "Padma."

There is a response this time (she is awake after all) and she looks up at me almost immediately, a tired smile on her lips as she puts her quill down to stretch. "Hey, is Madam Pince closing soon?" she asks.

"No," I reply shortly, twiddling my thumbs as I figure out what to say. "But it's quite late after all. Maybe you should take a break and continue tomorrow."

"You're right," Padma agrees, "give me a moment."

It takes about five minutes for her to get organised, but not enough time for me to get organised. My thoughts are all over the place, I see splashes of colour in all the wrong combinations behind my closed eyelids. To say I am nervous is a major understatement.

"Are you okay?" Padma asks in a concerned voice. "You look pale. Do you have a fever?" She comes suddenly close, pressing her forehead against mine.

The sudden proximity is impossible to handle. I expel a nervous breath and the warmth rebounds back. That is how close we are. "P-Padma," I squeak out.

"You don't have a fever," she declares, frowning. "But you're paler than before." She starts to move away.

My hands move before I realise, wrapping around her wrists and pulling her close once more. "I'm fine. I just -" I close my eyes quickly. Chocolate brown. The reassuring colour of Padma. Opening my eyes once more, I look at Padma, really look at her this time, "Just stay here for a moment." My heart steadies and my thoughts clear. My prince (or princess) does not make my heart beat. "We need to talk."

"We do?" Padma asks. "Well, go on then."

"I think I like you."

"Well, I like you too. We're friends, right?"

"No, no. I like like you. I-I want us to be more than friends. Is that okay?" I am quite aware I say nothing about love. Like is a good first step to take.

"Yes." The answer is sure, but it still comes a little too quickly.

I frown. "Are you just humouring me?"

Padma chuckles. "No, I'm not. Though it seems to be the one thing I'm exceptional at. I've been humouring you every single night since the first time. I've liked you since then. Well, maybe not since the first night. But it's a close enough approximation."

"Oh, oh!" I grimace slightly as I take her hands into mine. "I'm so thoughtless! I must have been a complete idiot for coming every single night to tell you about some boy I had snogged!"

"Well, you didn't know any better."

"But I do, you see. I've been completely blinded by what love should be like that I completely ignored the one person who truly cares for me," I say earnestly. "I completely ignored the one person I truly care for." For all the romance novels I have gone through, I sound distinctly uninspired in my declaration of affection. "I so wish I could say more because you make my heart so full with so many feelings that it just doesn't seem fair not to give voice to them."

Padma smiles and says gently, "All that I had wished for every single night since the first time is that you'll come back to me the following night. I didn't ask for anything more. But now that that something more is within my grasp, I really don't know what to do."

"How about we shut up and kiss?" I offer.

"The first intelligent thing you have said all night," she teases back.

So I lean in, my arms wrapping about Padma's waist, her arms wrapping about mine. Her eyes close as she gets even closer and my breath hitches as I feel her breath on my skin. When her lips press against mine, my eyes flutter shut and I sigh into the kiss. It is not my first kiss by any chance, but the chastity of the act and the intensity of my feelings make it feel like it is. The culmination of feelings I have never known existed within me bursts forth in a plethora of colours (fireworks behind my closed eyelids).

I have so much I need to tell Padma, but for now I feel safe in her arms, she feels right in mine and all I want to do is to savour the moment. She does not make my heart beat, she does not make my world explode in colours, but one kiss from her and I feel upended and I feel like the world has taken on a whole new hue. The shroud has fallen from my eyes, the church bells have quieted in my ears, the fairy tales have been stopped in my bones and the colours have settled behind my closed eyelids.

After the second kiss, all I see behind closed eyelids is Padma.


	5. We Can Start Slow But Make This Last Forever

Padma Patil happened to know that most everyone thought that Cho Chang was beautiful, but she also happened to know that she was not most everyone. Certainly the older girl was pleasing to the eye. It was also surprising how well mannered she was for someone so popular. However, Padma did not happen to believe that Cho warranted all the fuss everyone continually insisted on making over her. It was, therefore, to Padma's very own utmost surprise that one of her very first (real) words to Cho would be, "Beautiful."

It happened sometime during the last month leading up to the end of Padma's fifth year at Hogwarts. It had been late and Padma had, embarrassingly, nodded off in the library. By the time Madam Pince had made her rounds and woken her up, the dust had settled in her hair, on her clothes and she thought, to her utter revulsion, that she could even taste it in her mouth. Padma had considered the time and felt justified enough to presume that no one would be using the Ravenclaw girls' showers at such late hours.

Thus, one could imagine and most definitely share in Padma's surprise when she stepped into the shower chamber, fully expecting the place to be empty and finding that it was in fact not. This other girl, whomever she might be, was not actually using the showers. No, she was crying in the privacy afforded by what should have been an empty room. Padma could hear the great, heaving sobs and feel them reverberate in the (now, no longer) empty chamber.

After a moment's hesitation, Padma called out, "Hello?" She reckoned that the girl would figure out that she was not alone anyway when Padma started her shower. Padma intended on having that shower as soon as possible and there was simply no way she was going to wait for the girl to finish her crying spree first. The dust might have coalesced into something by then.

The sobs broke off most abruptly and there was a very unladylike snort, which was then followed by a slightly more demure sniff. "Is – is someone there?"

Padma resisted the urge to roll her eyes. She sensed – oh, all right, she knew that it might not be the most appropriate gesture she could be making. "Yes. Uh, listen, I'm sorry to intrude." She did roll her eyes at that. "But, honestly, I'm just here to take a shower." _Way to state the obvious, Padma Patil_. "So, uh – feel free to – ehm, continue?" _Merlin! If that wasn't the most tactless thing ever, I don't know what would be!_ she scolded herself. _Oh dear, Padma, you're not at all cut out for this_ girly _talk. Vati should be the one in your shoes – well, your shower slippers – at this very moment_.

The girl laughed suddenly and Padma felt a smile tugging at her lips despite herself. She did have a very beautiful laugh. "Thank you, but no, thanks. I think it's about time I stop anyway." There was another sniff. "You must think I'm a crybaby."

Padma bit her bottom lip and said carefully, "Well, no, not really. Uh, I mean – you must have your reasons. And I'm frankly not one to judge. I – well – if you must know …" Padma's voice dropped as she continued in a manner that suggested she was about to impart a secret of great import, "I cried my eyes out when I was on the last page of _Hogwarts: A History_."

The girl laughed again and a door to one of the shower stalls slowly slid open. "You're funny," she declared as she approached Padma.

"I do try," Padma responded evenly as she narrowed her eyes in an attempt to make out the features of the girl before her. Was it someone in her year? No, she would have known. Someone younger? Older? "Why were you crying?" she asked before she could stop herself. "Not that it's any of my business, of course. Sorry, forget I said anything."

The girl chuckled. "My cat died," she offered softly. A shaft of moonlight fell across the girl's face and Padma's eyes widened a little. "My name's Cho," Cho said with a smile as she extended a hand.

 _I know._ "Padma," Padma managed, grasping Cho's hand a little limply as her eyes roamed almost hungrily over Cho's puffy eyes, her wet cheeks, her red nose and her white, even teeth. _Beautiful_ , Padma thought – or at least she supposed she had only thought it.

"I beg your pardon?" Cho enquired as their hands fell apart, her brows drawing in bafflement.

"Huh?" Padma voiced, feeling equally confused.

"I thought you said beautiful," Cho explained as her smile returned in full force. "Is that your name? Padma Beautiful?"

Padma blushed. "No." She toed the tiled floor nervously and finally looked up to meet Cho's eyes again. "I meant you."

"Oh." Cho touched her cheeks a little self-consciously. "But I must look an absolute fright right now."

"No," Padma reassured. "You are, you know. Even like this -" _Definitely like this_. "You're beautiful."

Cho blushed as well. "Why, thank you."

Padma smiled shyly. "Doesn't everyone keep reminding you?"

Cho snorted in that most unladylike way again.

Padma grinned.

"You sounded like you meant it."

"I did."

"Thank you."

"You're welcome."

* * *

"I didn't know you were friends with Cho Chang," Parvati remarked without preamble, waylaying Padma just as she was about to leave the Great Hall for the first of her morning classes.

"Vati, I have a class to go to," Padma reminded her twin sister, looking longingly in the general direction of Transfiguration. "And don't you have a class to catch too, for that matter?"

"We have a few minutes to spare," Parvati decided dismissively. "So, tell me. What's the story with you and Cho?"

Padma sighed and adjusted the strap of her bag. "There's no story." Was it really so surprising that Cho and she were now friends? She had spent the entire weekend since the night in the showers fending off curious enquiries from her fellow Ravenclaws and now it was her very own sister's turn.

"Don't you give me that, Paddy," Parvati warned, wagging her finger at Padma. "Five years in the same House and today was the first time I, and everyone else, ever saw the two of you together. And looking all cosy and friendly like you've always been friends." Parvati had _that_ look in her eye. Their mother always had the same look when it came time to visit their great-uncle's and no one, not even their father, wanted to go. They always ended up going – in their Sunday best and lugging gifts to boot.

Padma sighed again. "There's honestly no story," she repeated. "I ran into her, we exchanged a few words and we sort of became friends."

Parvati looked highly sceptical.

"Look, we're going to be late. Let's talk later, okay?" Padma told her, squeezing Parvati's arm and quickly running off before her sister could say something else.

* * *

Padma knew that their friendship – Cho's and hers – was the unlikeliest of friendships. She did not need Parvati's surprise or the other Ravenclaws' curiosity to bring that fact home to her. She was a practical sort of person. Cho, on the other hand, was a dreamer. Remarkably enough, however, they did get along really well. Padma's fifth year – Cho's sixth – came to an end soon enough and summer arrived. Padma and Cho made arrangements to spend the long months together. They spent the early days of summer just talking – about anything and everything and all that was in between.

Cho would tell Padma of all the things that she had never before dared to voice aloud. Padma would regale Cho with all the things she could see in the summer clouds, in the night sky, in her pumpkin juice or Cho's tea, in the fluttering of coloured leaves as summer held on in vain before the onset of autumn. During those moments, Padma could often forget that she had thought herself to be the practical one and Cho the dreamer.

But Padma grew to love indulging her sillier side. It was a side of her that had been bright and alive before she had entered Hogwarts, before she had assumed that she somehow needed to be graver and quieter in order to become mature. If she were truly honest with herself though, Padma knew she only did what she did because she wanted to see Cho laugh. She liked the slight dimple in Cho's right cheek when she smiled just a little too widely, the impossible glimmer in her eyes when she laughed just a little too loudly.

But it was only when Cho started crying, when she started speaking of Cedric, of her family, of her friends, of pressures, of her future and of her dreams that Padma thought Cho to be absolutely breathtaking. There was frailty in Cho that made Padma wish she could protect her forever and ever. Yet, there was strength in her frame even as she shook in Padma's arms and that humbled Padma like nothing else ever could or ever would.

Padma loved the warmth of Cho's tears as their cheeks pressed together, the warmth and smell of the sun that lingered in Cho's hair and the faint citrus scent of Cho's favourite lotion on her skin. Padma especially loved the way her own heart skipped a beat and never quite pounded the same for the few moments that followed when Cho whispered thanks in her ear before they slowly – and, on Padma's part, reluctantly – parted.

"Thank you, Pad," Cho said again, her voice still hushed and more than a little heavy as she brushed her lips across Padma's knuckles. "You're the best friend anyone could hope to have." Cho smiled that smile at Padma and held her darker hands in her own fairer ones, close to her heart and Padma imagined she could feel Cho's heart beat a little faster against her skin.

Padma swallowed thickly and offered Cho a practiced smile, not quite trusting herself to speak. Her blood rushed in her ears and pulsed like a living thing in her veins and – _oh Merlin, I think I'm in love with Cho._

* * *

"You know, I think you've been avoiding me. No, I _know_ you've been avoiding me," Parvati accused as she poked at the lump in Padma's bed.

"Have not," came the muffled reply.

"Have too," Parvati huffed. "You're always either with your books or with Cho. I've hardly seen you this summer and we're about to start school in just a few more weeks."

Padma burrowed deeper into the covers.

"Paddy, talk to me," Parvati pleaded, sitting down next to the lump. "You've been a little – strange since Cho's last visit." She poked at the lump again. "Did you two fight?"

"No."

"All right. What happened then?"

"Nothing."

"Oh, come on, Paddy. First, you wouldn't tell me how you two became friends. Now, you won't tell me why you're acting like a recluse."

"Am not."

"Okay, you better start speaking up, Padma Patil. Or – or I will sic Mama on you."

Padma threw off the covers in alarm and gaped at Parvati. "You – Vati, you won't!"

"Oh, watch me," Parvati challenged, turning her nose up triumphantly.

Padma sighed after a while, breaking off their staring contest and settling back down. "Vati, I – I think I love Cho."

"Well, you guys _are_ best friends," Parvati pointed out.

"Uh, no, that's not what I meant – wait, isn't that peculiar to start with? I mean – we've only known each other for a few months. How can we already be best friends?"

"Paddy," Parvati said very slowly. "Best friends are _not_ measured by time or anything just as stupid. Lav and I were best friends in the first few weeks we knew each other."

"Oh, right. But, Vati, I love Cho more than – I _love_ her, Vati."

"What? Oh. Oh! You mean -"

Padma nodded meaningfully.

"Like Auntie Sita and her wife?"

"Like Auntie Sita and her wife."

"Oh, wow," Parvati whispered, smiling a little. "Well, good for you, Paddy. Cho's really pretty _and_ she's really nice too. Most importantly, Mama already likes her."

"Uh, Vati, no. It's not good for me. See, _I_ love Cho. That doesn't necessarily translate into her returning my feelings. For all we know, she prefers -" Padma swallowed with difficulty. "She might prefer men to women."

Parvati bumped shoulders with Padma. "And what makes you think that?"

Padma gave her twin sister a dubious look. "Vati, she's dated boys. She's only ever dated boys. For that matter, I don't think anyone at Hogwarts is dating someone of the same sex -"

Parvati giggled. "That's not true."

"What?"

"Let's see. There's Ginny and Pansy," Parvati recited, ticking off a finger. "Fleur and Hermione. Ooh, there's also that boy from Hufflepuff and -"

Padma blinked. "That's – surprising, to say the least. Uh, but that doesn't help me any, Vati."

"Paddy dear, the fact that she's only dated boys so far doesn't necessarily mean that she won't date girls. Besides, have you seen how – Actually, now that I think about it, haven't you two been looking at each other in much the same way?"

Padma sighed, rubbing her temple. "And what way might that be?"

"Like only the two of you exist in the world, of course."

Padma blushed. "We have not!"

"You two most certainly have. I wonder why I hadn't picked up on it sooner. I guess people do only see what they expect to see. That'll teach me to judge the book by its cover."

"Back to the point, please, Vati. What are you saying?"

"Here I thought you were the smart one. What I'm saying, my dear sister, is that you won't be disappointed if you let her know how you feel."

Padma looked unconvinced. "Really?"

"Really?"

" _Really?_ "

"Will you just trust me?"

"That's what's got me worried."

"Hey!"

* * *

"You seem awfully distracted," Cho observed, looking up from the book she had herself been less than duly absorbed in.

"Do I?" Padma squeaked back.

Cho lifted her eyebrow, closing the book and pushing it away to give Padma her full attention. "And very odd."

"Really?" Padma whispered in a high-pitched voice, her eyes moving restlessly and never meeting Cho's.

"Most definitely. Are you okay?" Cho asked with concern. "You don't seem like yourself."

Padma smiled weakly and took a deep breath before reaching across to take Cho's hands in her own. The silence that had been slightly awkward melted into the comfortable sort that they had grown used to. The late summer rain provided a gentle background noise and Padma felt herself beginning to calm. "I've spent hours after hours just mulling over the perfect words – much to Vati's amusement, I might add." Padma kept her eyes fixed on their laced fingers and slowly continued, "Now that the moment is here, I find that the words are lacking. Cho, I want you to know that I – despite knowing you for only a few months, you've become very precious to me."

Cho beamed and squeezed Padma's hand. "I feel much the same way, Pad."

Padma's smile faltered a little. "I don't know if you'll still that way when I'm finished. Cho, I -" Padma finally looked up and into Cho's eyes, her heart doing the little stutter it tended to do in Cho's company – only this time to the beat of the raindrops. "I love you, Cho Chang," Padma confessed in a hushed voice. "I thought of a hundred ways to tell you and a hundred more to show you. But I think – I hope that these simple words I've uttered have imparted more than extravagant displays of fireworks or lengthy poems ever could."

"I love you too, Pad. You know that," Cho said, sounding and looking more than a little confused.

"I'm in love with you, Cho," Padma clarified, her hands feeling a little clammy, her heart a thundering beast in her chest and the sound of the rain no longer so tranquil and now much too intrusive. "When I'm with you, I – I just want to hold you and kiss you and never ever let you go."

Cho looked stunned and her hands grew slack around Padma's.

Padma felt her heart break and forced herself to smile as she slowly pulled her hands away. "I – I just wanted to let you know. I didn't really expect anything, honestly. I – I understand if you don't want to be friends anymore. I -" Padma blinked her tears away as her words were swallowed up by Cho's lips. She had imagined and dreamt and hoped of kissing Cho. She had thought it would be like kissing marshmallows: soft and sweet and pliant. Kissing Cho, really kissing Cho, however, felt harsh and unyielding and Padma felt like burning up (or burning out) and like her heart was about to stop and – please, please make this last forever.

"I love you, Padma," Cho whispered, leaning in to pepper Padma's cheeks, her nose, her eyelids, her everywhere with kisses. "Merlin, you cannot know how long I've wanted to tell you that."

"Wait, what?" Padma asked breathlessly, getting slightly sidetracked by how close Cho was, how good she smelt and how soft she felt.

"I'm in love with you, Padma Patil," Cho gushed. "I think I fell for you that night in the showers."

"Really?" Padma murmured in wonder.

"Yes, you silly girl. For someone so bright, you can be terribly slow."

"That's what Vati said."

"Well, I think your sister is very wise indeed."

Padma laughed. "Vati would have a field day if she had heard you."

Cho chuckled. After a while when they had both calmed down, she asked softly as her hands ran up and down Padma's back, "Pad?"

Padma's breath hitched a little and she thought she heard the rain grew much more furious. "Yes?"

"I don't want to talk about your sister."

"No?"

Cho smiled somewhat predatorily. "No." She licked her lips and pushed Padma down gently. "In fact, I don't want to talk at all."

"Oh," was the last coherent thing Padma said for the rest of the night. It was a good thing it was raining so heavily.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Written for briony_tallis at femmefest.
> 
> A/N2: Thanks to Emily for beta-ing this at such short notice, as well as it_will_cook for further beta!


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